


Don't Close Your Eyes

by writers_writers



Series: Hetalia Soulmate AUs [2]
Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Awkwardness, Fluff, Happy Ending, Highschool AU, M/M, Mild Angst, Side USUK, Soulmate AU, canada is a master gamer, side France/Joan of Arc, side GerIta
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-15
Updated: 2016-06-26
Packaged: 2018-07-14 17:32:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 6,520
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7183457
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/writers_writers/pseuds/writers_writers
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ready to meet his soulmate, Matthew Williams meets the day with a smile on his face. Little does he know disaster is lurking around every corner.<br/>Thankfully fate is kind enough to steer him on track just with a few stops on the way.</p><p>Soulmate AU where one eye is your soulmate's eye color and the other is yours and when you meet them, your eyes revert back to normal color.<br/>Aka magical heterochromia.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Sickness and Health

He could hardly contain his excitement as he ran around his room gathering his clothes for the day. In a lapse of judgement, he almost tripped face first into the dresser. Without losing his smile, he just jumped up and gathered the socks he dropped.

Today was the day that Esmarch and Nelles High School were having their Crossover Day.

Once a year the different schools in the areas send the entire Junior class to the scheduled school. The increased interaction between students supposedly to promoting students finding their soulmates faster.

The day was designed to allow students to continue learning despite the irregular day but as the ears went on, it simply dissolved into a bi-monthly celebration. 

Despite the flaws in a plan that tries to force people to find their soulmates, it did often result in a mass discovery of soulmates. 

It was often regarded as a strange American practice, often frowned upon by older groups, but the happy Canadian was overjoyed.  
This was the last one of his junior year.

Finally pulling on his sneakers, he burst out of his room he almost ran headlong into his older brother Francis.  
"Bonjour Matthew. You seen excited. What's the rush?", he chucked happily.  
  


Matthew shot him a flabbergasted look. "You know what's the rush. We having our last Crossover Day of the year and I can't be late."

 

"I don't remember being this excited," Francis thought to himself before prompting Matthew. 

"Ready to meet your soulmate?", he inquired.

He didn't have to look at Matthew to know he was being looked at like he had grown a third eyeball.

"Yeah  of course!" Matthew practically shouted. His explosive statement only hindered by his soft spoken nature.  "I'm surprised to think Alfred's still in bed. I swear he was more excited than I was yesterday."

"He's not. He's already down stairs ready to go," Francis said with a smirk.

"Oh, I'll get going then", Matthew whispered, his enthusiasm abruptly hindered by embarrassment and an ashamed blush dusting his cheeks. 

Francis stopped him with his forearm before he could pass by. With a displeased noise he pulled Matthew back to force him to stand face to face.

He paused a moment, psyching himself up for one of the tougher talks he would have to give his brother.

"Matthew," he started. "You do understand that not everyone meets their soulmate on Crossover Days. Right?"

There was a tense pause before Matthew nodded.

"Well, you seem so excited, I just don't want you to be disappointed if nothing happens today. You realize I didn't meet my Joan until I was years out of high school."

Matthew nodded but secretly rolled his eyes. "As you have told us many times before."

"All I am saying," Francis sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose, "Is that you can't put your hopes up too high. It's gonna hurt like a bitch if nothing happens today."

Matthew raised an eyebrow. "Pardon your french?"

It took a moment for Francis to get the joke but he did and wasn't too impressed.

"All right funny guy, you need to get going. I'm not waiting for you to finish your pancakes if I'm ready to go."

"Pancakes?" Matthew squeaked as he clasped his hands together.

"Yes I got up early and ruined my perfectly lovely beauty sleep so that you could have a nice breakfa-"

He didn't get to finish before Matthew slammed into him in a full body hug.

The younger brother pulled back and tried to speed off.

"Hold up!" Francis snapped.

Matthew froze and glanced back worriedly.

"Are you feeling well?" Francis questioned, tilting his head in confusion and putting on his best older brother look.

"My heads a little achy, but that's about it," Matthew protested, trying to sidestep his brother before  Francis moved a hand to his forehead.

"You seem warm. You probably should stay home if this gets any worse."

Matthew stared at him, dumbfounded like he had grown a third eyeball.

Francis sighed, yielding to his brother's stare.

"I'm overstaffed today, I have a new employee for the summer and Antonio is training him, his name's Gilbert or something, If you need to, come home early, have the school call me, I can come get you or Alfred can drive you home.

Matthew gave him a dorky and smile.

Francis tousled Matthew's matching golden blond hair with a bit of brotherly affection.

"Yo! Mattie? You up yet?" Alfred's loud bellow made the two jump.

"Coming!," he called running downstairs to find his American half-brother.

"That's what she said," he responded, his voice still echoing.

Matthew flashed another smile at his French brother who was failing at covering up his laughter and made a decidedly evil retort.

"Not to you she didn't! __"


	2. Waiting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The plot moves forward. A tiny bit. New character intro.

Honestly? Up until lunch everything had been going smoothly. Emphasis on had.

No real commotion bubbled up the first four classes besides the randomly spaced freak outs of Matthew's schoolmates meeting their soulmates for the first time. It hadn't even been anyone in his classes.

Despite the mundane and unpromising events transpiring around him, Matthew readily scanned the crowds for a familiar pair of eyes. The excitement obvious on his face.

Truthfully, the feat wasn't difficult in theory. Matthew's odd and endearing combination of deep amber and light lavender often drew attention to him. Many claimed, in varying ways, that looking into his eyes was like looking at a demon and an angel trapped in the same body. Terrifying and beautiful at the same time.

He could only hope his soulmate wasn't as terrifying as his eye color.

The crystal-clear red burned with intensity and severely offset the calming nature of the cloudy violet.

In practice, however, finding his soulmate was just as easy as getting Alfred to sit still before a big soccer match. Read:absolutely impossible.

So far, not a single person he had seen had red and purple eyes.

It would have been fine honestly. If not for the fact that the pancakes he ate that morning were threatening to make a reappearance.

Francis had hit the nail in the head when he mentioned Matthew being sick, because as the rest of the class filed out for lunch, Matthew couldn't even stand without feeling a wave of nausea. A pounding headache only added to his misery.

"It can't get any worse," Matthew whimpered to himself.

"Oi! Mattie!"

Of course.

Matthew barely lifted his head to see Ricardo, his Cuban friend, charging down the row of desks to him. His short was half untucked and his hair was haphazardly pulled back by a bandana.

If Matthew had a better control over his brain at the moment, he would have warned his friend that he was already on thin ice in most of his classes and he didn't need dress code violations to add to his very full detention schedule.

"What's wrong? You don't want to have lunch with me?"

If Matthew could have rolled his eyes without throwing up, he would have.

That statement was completely false. The pair had been inseparable for years despite Ricardo's obvious distaste for Matthew's twin brother. Which had earned him several misplaced attacks meant for Alfred.

Of course Matthew could not voice this because every world barked at him sent another throbbing pain through his head.

"I know you're a little miffed at me for smacking you Friday, but you know I'd have never have done that if I knew it was you. Your brother just had me riled up that's all. I can make it up to you. Do you wanna grab ice cream after school?"

"You have detention don't you?" Matthew mentally asked.

Ricardo paused, he knew he was grasping at straws with his apologies, but he still he hoped for an answer. Instead, Matthew had placed his head back down on the desk and wasn't looking up.

"Hey, you okay mi amigo?" Ricardo asked, thankfully quieter this time.

Matthew nodded weakly and sighed, "Just a headache."

Ricardo raised a questioning eyebrow.

"Do you want me to call your brother to take you home?"

Matthew shook his head slowly, as if his brain could shake out.

"I-I want to stay for the rest of the day. It's my last Crossover Day."

Rolling his eyes, Ricardo awkwardly attempted to rub soothing circles in his best friend's back.

"All right little dude, but if you throw up on me, I'm going to drag you home by the collar and make you stay in bed."

Matthew smiled weakly. Ricardo may not have the nicest exterior or even interior, but he always tried to help in his own special(and sometimes dangerous) way.

"Come on Mattie, let's see if we can snag some painkillers off of a kid and get you some water. And maybe some grub will make you feel better."

Matthew tried to protest standing but was already being dragged from his seat.

Whether Ricardo was trying to be nice or not, Matthew might take him up on that offer of a trip home because if things were going to go the way they were, those pancakes are not going to stay down for long.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you couldn't tell, Ricardo is what I call Cuba.


	3. Eyes Closed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things get interesting.

Thankfully, Elizabeta noticed the unhappy Canadian while walking to lunch and handed him some flu medication and pain-relievers.

"Don't take anything else besides these for at least six hours and you should be fine," she chirped before walking away.

Matthew squinted at the packaging and noticed a little crescent moon.

"Matthew? I think those are for night. You probably shouldn't take them no-"

Matthew ignored Ricardo, favoring the promise of relief and downed them with a gulp from his water bottle.

* * *

 

They apparently _were_ for night-time because by the time Ricardo had steered him to the table, he was very out of it.

The cafeteria was packed with extra tables and the extra clusters of bodies made maneuvering extremely difficult, but thankfully Feli and Ludwig had managed to snag the group's usual table and had brought everyone in.

He barely had the coherent thought to wave before flopping into his seat and putting his head down.

Immediately he could hear Ludwig questioning Ricardo and the poor guy trying to explain over the noise.

It wouldn't be long before Ludwig chastising him for the misuse of medication.

Instead he felt a gentle hand on his back. Looking up, his eyes met Feli's gentle brown ones, long ago switched with Ludwig's blue.

"Are you okay, Matthew? You look like you're going to be sick."

It took a few seconds before he could gather his wits to respond. 

"Just sick. And sleepy".

"If you don't feel good, you should go home"

Matthew raised his head at Ludwig's gentle speaking. 

_Damn, was he always that tall? Wait I'm sitting down._

"I just want to meet my soulmate."

Ludwig shook his head at his friend.  
"I think your soulmate can wait. I'd be a bad impression to puke on their shoes."

Before Matthew could retaliate, suddenly arms wrapped around his waist and almost lifted him in the air.

If he had dared to try and swallow some cafeteria gruel before hand, he would have puked all over the table.

"Mattie, Mattie, Mattie!", the voice belonging to his assailant cried.

"Alfred, Matthew doesn't feel good, let him go," Ludwig's calming voice interjected sternly.

"Oh, sorry dude, do you want me to call Francis?" Alfred asked immediately jumping into protective brother mode. (How many mom friends did he have?)

"It's fine", Matthew said waving him off. "What's up?" he questioned still looking at the table while pondering why everyone really wanted to go get his brother.

"Everyone", he addressed the whole four people there, "Meet Arthur, my soulmate."

Matthew looked up in surprise and felt an odd stab of envy underneath his sleepy state. 

The teenager standing under Alfred's curled arm was now wincing at the loud intro.

He took a shaky breath and addressed them, "Good afternoon all. As Alfred said, I am Arthur Kirkland. My family moved here last month from England. I was nervous about this event, but I'm glad I came."

It all sounded way to formal and proper. Boy was this kid in for a ride the first time they decided to watch hockey or soccer.

His hair was sandy blond, his eyes were emerald green, his eyebrows were...huge, like fat caterpillars. What happens if he raises one of them?

Matthew had to shake off the sickness induced delirium and rudeness. 

Arthur nervously smiled at the group.

Matthew attempted a returned smile, but felt like throwing up again. 

"Ooh! I'm gonna go call Francis!"

Alfred bounded off happily to find a quiet place.

"Don't tell him about me please," Matthew called weakly after him.

Everything suddenly got quiet at that end of the room.

After a few moments of silence, Matthew offered quietly, "He's not what you expected, is he?"

"Not even close", Arthur responded gazing at where the childish teenager had bounded off to.

"Don't let his excitement scare you. He's waited a long time to meet you."

"He's a tad loud and...physical? I guess that's a good word for it."

"That's just Alfred. He's like an excited puppy most of the time. He can't read the mood of the room or of other people very well, so you are going to want to point out if the situation changes."

Arthur nodded drinking in the advice.

Alfred happily returned and began chatting .Matthew returned to his miserable position with his head on the table.

"Yo! Ludwig!", an unfamiliar voice barked over the crowded cafeteria.

"Gilbert what are you doing here?", Ludwig responded.

"I told you, I was going to take an early lunch break and I was coming back up to see you."

Still with his head in his hands, Matthew recognized the strange name of the new employee that Francis had hired. He tried to sit up and say hello, but his stomach did a flip and he was still fighting off drowsiness.

The boring conversation blurred into the background as Matthew's eyes began to sting a bit.

As a matter of fact everything was beginning to blur. 

He tried to keep awake by sitting up but before he knew it, he was on the floor.

"Mattie! Mattie! Dude wake up!"

"Is he okay?"

"Do you know if he's eaten anything today?"

"Someone get the nurse!"

Only snippets of these phrases reached Matthew.

He felt strong arms lift him off the ground. His arms where they touched the other's felt like they were waking up, pins and needles all over. 

He vaguely heard protests from his brother mixed with Ludwig's.

"It's okay, I've got him", a kind voice said in a hushed tone.

"I've got you", he repeated quietly.


	4. Oops

"I told you to stay home," Francis sighed taking the water glass from Matthew.

"I know. I was just so excited."

Francis moved to pick up the half empty bowl of soup.

"And you took medication that you didn't recognize, at school, without permission."

"Sorry," Matthew murmured, burying his face in his covers. 

"Well don't do it again, just get better for me and maybe I'll forgive you."

"Okay."

He moved to rest his hand on Matthew's head when he though of something else. "The Kirklands have agreed to wait to meet for dinner until you're better."

Francis locked eyes with Matthew, forcing a moment of clarity out of his brother though the cold medicine. 

"You should realize the sacrifice your brother and Arthur are making for you. I'm sure waiting as long as they have to to see each other again will be painful."

Matthew turned red and buried his head further into his covers.

"It's okay Matthew, the way I put it was a bit harsh," Francis stumbled to repair the damage he caused.

He moved back over to Matthew.

"It's going to be fine, it's just a bit bothersome mentally to be apart."

"He doesn't have to do that," Matthew murmured.

"Well, he wants to share this with you, and maybe rub it in your face a bit. It's what brothers do," Francis said with a smile.

"Okay, now you're sounding like a bad sitcom."

"Guilty as charged."

Matthew laughed sarcastically.

"Now go to bed, you may be sick, but I'm still going to make you watch soap operas with me tomorrow."

"No, please, have mercy on an innocent child's soul," he retorted in a bad southern accent. 

Francis just laughed and shook his head as he walked out the door.

* * *

 

As he sat down in the living room turning on the T.V. an odd thought popped into Francis' head.

_I could have sworn Matthews eyes were both purple just now._


	5. Meet The Kirklands

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I hope Alfred likes his new in-laws.

"So, Arthur tells us that you're a football player?"

Alfred looked up from his food to meet Mrs. Kirkland's gaze.

"Uh, no actually. I kinda got out of it in middle school, it wasn't really my thing. Getting tackled hurt like crazy and the pads always smelled rank and..."

He trailed off when he noticed the odd look Mrs. Kirkland was giving him.

With a nerious movement, he directed his attention to Arthur. "Did I say something weird?"

On his other side Matthew elbowed him.

"Literally everywhere else but the U.S. they call soccer football."

After taking in the information Alfred chuckled nervously. 

"In that case I do play football."

Mr. Kirkland returned chuckle and asked, "So, are you any good?"

At this point Matthew lightly rolled his eyes and tuned out Alfred's boasting.

He shot an assuring glance at Arthur who was occupied with chastising his older brother for God-knows what.

His attention was drawn back to Alfred's loud chatter.

"Of course I'm going to play professionally! Right after college. Mattie is going to Canada on a hockey scholarship", he said pointing towards his half-brother with his fork.

Matthew sighed silently through his nose.

This was honestly boring as hell. At least if he had been sat by Arthur's brothers he could hear what they were bickering about.

The kitchen door opening startled everyone into pausing.

"Désolé, everyone. I didn't realize I was out of flour, I guess we'll just have to go without dessert today."

Francis' random interruption smoothed over Matthew's uneasy feeling.

"That's alright," Mr. Kirkland sighed as Francis tried wiping the powdered sugar/

Matthew stood up ready to go help Francis clean up whatever mess he made in the kitchen when Arthur spoke up.

"Matthew, are you taller than Alfred?"

Matthew paused at the strange question.

"Uh, yeah I'm about 5'11 he's only 5'8."

"I was just wondering, it's not very common for twins to have such drastically different heights."

Matthew exchanged a quick look with Alfred and the pair began to laugh, hard.

Francis joined in with a gentle chuckle before motioning for the boys to stop.

"My apologies for the strange outburst, but they are not twins, Matthew is nearly two years older than Alfred", Francis offered.

The other family exchanged confused looks.

"Let me explain, Matthew I were born in France and we moved here with our mother when he was just a baby and I was about six. After marrying Alfred's father, Alfred was born a year later."

The air suddenly felt heavy when Arthur uttered a low, "oh," and turned back to his plate.

Hoping that the Kirklands could guess that the Jones' parents weren't with them anymore, Francis gestured for everyone's attention again.

"Despite that confusing moment, I'd like to make a small toast to Alfred and Arthur. The little guys are growing up," Francis said wiping an invisible year from his eye.

The group laughed and leaned forward to tap their glasses together. 

Francis was about to tap his glass against Matthew's when they made eye contact.

His glass slipped from his hand, and dropped to the floor with a loud thunk.

Matthew yelped and stepped back nearly tripping over Alfred in the process. Francis was still frozen in place.

"Francis, Matthew are you okay?"

Ignoring the cry for Matthew, everyone turned a concerned look towards the Frenchmen.

Francis' throat clenched slightly and there was a waver in his voice as he said sternly, "Matthew! Come here!" 

Never seeing such odd actions from Francis, Matthew obliged quietly and his face was taken in Francis's hand.

Francis shook his head and grimaced, releasing Matthew from his grip.

"You said you didn't meet your soulmate on Crossover Day. Correct?"

Matthew frowned.

"Yeah, I wasn't really in the mood to socialize when I started to get a headache and-"

Francis started him into silence by shoving a hand mirror into his hand.

"You might have stopped paying attention at some point."

Hands shaking, matthew raised the mirror to view his perfectly violet eyes.

"Mattie, dude..."

Matthew didn't even acknowledge his brother before darting out of the room.

The dining room was left in silence.

To break it, Francis cleared his throat.

"I'll go talk to him."

He nodded at Alfred. "Please clean up while I'm gone."

Soundlessly, Francis walked out and Alfred was left alone with the Kirklands.

The teenager awkwardly laughed and shrugged, trying to lighten the atmosphere.

"I swear things aren't usually this crazy around here," he murmured, gesturing apologetically to his future in-laws.

Ms. Kirkland rolled her eyes and locked them on Alfred.

"Alfred dear. We have four kids. This isn't even slightly weird."


	6. Make a Plan

"Matthew,sweetheart?" Francis crooned through the door.

"I'm not coming out."

"I know you feel like you messed up. We can fix this, I promise," Francis spoke gently through the door.

After a few moments of silence he sighed and glanced towards the stairs where Alfred was waiting expectantly.

Partially annoyed his instructions were ignored but partially relieved he'd have some help, Francis motioned for him to  come closer.

"Mattie, dude. I know think sucks, but Francis is right. All we have to do is contact the other school, ask if any of their students had purple and red eyes, and met their soulmate Friday, but didn't actually talk to them."

A murmur of French swearing was muffled by the door.

The pair heard a click as Matthew unlocked the door.

"You didn't hear that. Right?"

Francis rolled his eyes. "Of course not."

"But seriously, what's got you so worked up?" Alfred chimed in.

"I'm scared," Matthew sighed, gently coming out of his room, not being able to meet his brothers' eyes.

"And that's just fine," Francis said pulling Matthew into a hug that Alfred joined into.

"I know meeting your soulmate is very important to a lot of young people, but I've always felt that your school is too forceful with it. The pull you feel around your soulmate is too strong, the sting of your skin as you touch for the first time is very deliberate. Humans have always left this to fate for hundreds of years. You don't need some silly school function to find them again."

"I know it's just..."

Matthew didn't finish his statement and glared at the ground. 

"You don't want to end up like I was? Alone for so many years?"

Matthew flinched and felt sick to his stomach again.

"No it's nothing like that!"

He looked to his half-brother for help.

"This is your argument dude."

Matthew turned back to Francis, the older brother still warming the room with his smile.

"It's okay _mon ami._ I understand why you would be afraid to be alone. I felt the same way after senior year,"  Francis gently sighed.

"The thing is, after mom and dad died, I had more important things to worry about, like two adorable little brothers. I've always dreamed about moving my boutique back to France and meeting my soulmate, but I wished to wait until you two were in college so that I knew you would be happy. But of course Joan walked into my life and the rest is history."

"Are you saying I have more important things to worry about than this?"

Francis' eyes widened.

"No of course not! You have them in your grasp, do not let them get away."

"But you said..."

"Okay my example was a little off," he sighed attempting to physically wave the bad example away. 

"What I meant was someone up there decided you two were meant to be together, and destiny doesn't like to keep people waiting. Because it is meant to be, it will be."

"Oh," Matthew's voice sounded dejected.

* * *

 

Matthew felt more dejected than ever.

"It's okay big bro, this is just gonna be a little more complicated."

"More complicated!?" Matthew's eyes flared in anger and glared at his half-brother."No one in the history of their school has ever had purple and red eyes, let alone someone who reported meeting their soulmate, but losing them!"

Matthew's misplaced anger stunned Alfred into silence as Matthew returned his head to his hands.

After a few long moments of uneasy back rubbing, Matthew lifted his head and spoke again.

"I should listen to Francis shouldn't I?"

"Well yeah." Alfred moved to sit.

"It's okay not to go searching out your soulmate, these things have a way of working themselves out. I spent most of my Crossover Days hanging out with Mathias or Ludwig. I only met Arthur because I stopped to help him up after he tripped."

Matthew rolled his eyes but still smiled slightly at Alfred's attempts to cheer him up.

"Now come on, Ludwig wants you, me and Arthur over at his house for lunch and video games. He told me to make sure you came with, for some obscure reason."

Matthew bit his lip unhappily at the prospect of having to sit through another session of Alfred making bedroom eyes at Arthur, only resulting in Arthur blushing and constantly smacking him upside the head.

"Go."

The pair jumped at the calm statement of the oldest brother.

"It will do you good to see your friends outside of school. And if Ludwig invited you personally, there's a reason for it."

"Fine," Matthew murmured.

"Come on, video games and food await!," Alfred cried dragging him off.


	7. Finally

The ride over was quiet. Matthew was consumed in thought, Arthur was busy concentrating on driving  on the right side of the road, and Alfred was jamming out to a song on his iPod.

After managing to reach The Beilschmidt house in one piece, Alfred rang the doorbell and waited for an answer.

"Ciao!"

The group was surprised by Feliciano popping into the doorway.

"Of course you're here," Alfred chuckled under his breath before Matthew elbowed him in the ribs.

"Uh is Ludwig home?" Matthew asked cautiously.

"Oh yeah, he's just yelling at his brother for burning lunch, I don't mind though, they were making sausage. I hate sausage but Ludwig likes it so I don't really mind all that much but..."

"Wait, Ludwig has a little brother?"

Feli blinked and stared at Matthew in confusion.

"Well, Gilbert is the older brother. You didn't meet him? I swear he was here during lunch the day you got sick."

"Well I was concentrating more on not puking," Matthew murmured looking down at his shoes.

"He actually carried you the the nurse's office."

Matthew blushed still concentrating on his shoes.

During their conversation they had moved to the living room.

"Wait his name's Gilbert? He doesn't happen to work at a boutique does he?"

"Oh yeah! He's going to work with Lovino's significant other and your brother."

"I knew that name sounded familiar."

Ludwig shook his head as he stepped out of the kitchen.

"Sorry everyone, mien brother burned the sausage we were going to have for lunch. I've already ordered pizza."

"Hey it not my fault I've forgotten how to cook in college," Gilbert protested strutting out of the kitchen.

"You've only been in college for a year."

"So? That doesn't mean anything."

Ignoring the conversation, Alfred dragged Matthew over to the couch and tossed the wireless controller to him.

"Let's get this party started then."

"Am I invited?"

The room turned to look at Gilbert who had a sly smile on his face.

Ludwig grabbed Gilbert's shoulder and brought him closer, growling in comprehensible German into the others' ear.

Gilbert shook him off. "I know what I'm doing."

"Sure, if you can beat Mattie first."

Gilbert startled a bit and glanced over to the French-American setting up the game."

"Birdie over there? Easy."

"Birdie?"

"Like the canaries that the miners used to detect gas leaks. Get it? Because he fainted."

"The birds died, not fainted," Ludwig sighed.

"Whatever, it was the best I could come up with."

Matthew gripped the controller hard for a moment, then spoke ignoring the rude joke.

"Two out of three games, no mega power ups, no physical pushing or controller grabbing.I win, you pay for the pizza . You win, I pay for pizza."

"No dirty playing? Birdie doesn't play around," Gilbert purred.

"No he doesn't, not when it come to video games," Alfred chuckled.

* * *

 

"What the hell? How are you this good?," Gilbert cried as Matthew beat him for the second time with plenty of room to spare.

"A lot of time playing with Alfred. I have really good focus thanks him. He's always pushing me or grabbing at my controller. That's why I said..."

"Three out of five."

Matthew frowned, "I told you, two out of three."

"Okay, how about this. One more game, dirty playing is allowed. If I win I get out of paying for pizza and everyone splits the bill. If you win, I buy you the newest zombie puncher game."

"Fine."

Matthew set up the game while Gilbert slipped off the couch and sat next to him, uncomfortably close.

The game was brutal. There were more punches being thrown in reality in in the actual game play. 

Seeing as it was a racing game, there weren't very many punches involved either way.

Both Ludwig and Alfred hung close by worried that their brother was going to take this game too far and there was a hospital trip in the near future.

Feli and Arthur hung back munching on the pizza that had been delivered ten minutes ago and was getting cold.

It was the last lap. Matthew was in the lead ready to win when Gilbert abandoned his controller and went for Matthew's hands. Wrapping his arms around his waist, attempting to snatch the controller out of his hands, Gilbert laughed. Already prepared for anything Matthew flipped around shoving the German off of him and pressing his shoulders to the ground.

"Hey! What the!?"

Gilbert was ignored as Matthew locked his eyes on the screen behind him and used his foot to push the joystick and his car to the finish.

"Haha, I thought him well," Alfred chuckled amongst the group of wide eyed spectators.

"You really play that violently?" was Ludwig's only response. 

"Hell yeah! Matt's a hockey player. One time me gave me a black eye. We told Francis we were playing baseball."

It was quiet in the room for a few moments until Gilbert spoke up.

"Uh Birdie, you can get off of me now."

Pink suddenly dusted his cheeks are Matthew stumbled to get off of him, settling for kneeling instead.

"Good game?" Matthew asked wary of the answer.

"Hell yeah! I look forward to getting my ass kicked by you for years to come. If you don't mind me crash you guy's gaming parties now and again."

Matthew bit his lip.

"Actually, I'm going up to Toronto for college once school is out. I was accepted on a hockey scholarship.

The room got quiet.

"That's quitter talk and besides..." he paused locking eyes with Matthew, "I think we'll have to arrange something anyway."

Matthew lightly recoiled, stunned by the piercing red eyes he had become so familiar with. He was at a loss for words.

Only for a moment.

"When did you figure it out!?" he gasped grabbing his soulmate's shoulders.

"Just a little after I took you to the nurse's office. When she was checking your for a concussion I recognized your purple eyes and remembered the weird tingly thing when I picked you up. It's crazy, right?"

"You didn't say anything!?"

"You were still unconscious, and with the training for my new summer job, I didn't have time to run up to school to talk to you. I did however get Ludwig to bring you guys up here so we could formally meet."

Matthew sighed into his hand and murmured, "You realize you work with my brother, right? You or he could could have said something."

Gilbert's face twisted into sheepishness.

"Yeah...I heard Francis talking about you and the whole situation. I am not proud to say I didn't put two and two together until yesterday. I freaked out and explained everything to him and he agreed to help get you to come over."

Matthew cocked an eyebrow.

"You couldn't have just told me?"

"Now where's the fun in tha-"

"So... You two are soulmates?"

Alfred's interruption brought the pair back.

"Uh, I guess"

"Hell yeah!"

This pair's unanimous cries made them turn back to each other.

"How did you pick me up by the way? I'm like three inches taller than you," Matthew wondered aloud.

"These babies of course," Gilbert boasted, pulling back his sleeves the reveal slender but slightly built arms.

"That's cute," Matthew chuckled and wiggled his eyebrows at Alfred who was trying not to laugh. "Try this on for size."

Slipping off his sweater and pulling back his own sleeves, he revealed heavily built muscles.

"Ten years of hockey. Try again."

Gilbert blinked slowly pondering the idea and Matthew's nice biceps.

"Uh, the power of love?"

"Much better."

The group ended up in a fit of giggles. (Okay, Feli was the only one giggling.)

Moving to the table to naw at the last of what Feli and Arthur hadn't eaten, Arthur spoke up.

"Is it always this crazy here?"

Matthew and Alfred exchanged looks.

"What do you mean?"

"The whole craziness that happened this week, lost soulmates, stomach viruses taking down hockey players things like that."

"No," Alfred grumbled though a mouthful of cold pizza.

"Good because these last few days have been..."

"There's usually a polar bear involved," Alfred chuckled.

"That was one time!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Miscounted the chapters. My bad.


	8. Wedding Bells

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just a bit of an epilogue.

A piece of rice hit Matthew in the eye.

"Ow!"

"Sorry," Alfred chuckled, attempting to hide the bag.

"I'm supposed to be throwing the rice and that's after the reception, stupid."

"I'm not stupid you're stupid," Alfred responded with a silly grin.

"Wow, such a great comeback," Matthew said sarcastically."

Their brotherly quarreling was interrupted by Arthur's chastising voice.

"I told you we weren't using rice."

"Sorry," Alfred murmured again.

Taking the bag and setting it down on a table next to them, Arthur turned to Matthew.

"How did you and Gilbert like the wedding?"

Matthew smiled.

"It was beautiful. I'm still very impressed by Alfred's vows, he didn't use the word dude or awesome even once."

Alfred crossed his arms, "I can be romantic," he huffed turning up his head.

Arthur slid his hand into his husband's. "That's a lovely gesture, but I prefer how you really talk."

Breaking into a cheeky grin Alfred laughed, "aww, dude that's so awesome."

"Perfect," Arthur purred pulling the other into a passionate kiss."

Keeping up with the habits of their childhood Matthew whined, "Ew, excuse me while I go puke up wedding cake."

"Don't worry we will have to deal with you and Gilbert's mushy stuff real soon," Alfred sneered pulling away from the kiss.

Matthew froze a bit, remembering his own wedding date coming up soon.

"Uh, I'm going to go find Gilbert," he stuttered stepping away from the newly weds. 

His gaze swept the reception, hoping to find a glimpse of his white haired soulmate. 

Beginning to walk around he caught the eye of his older brother standing next to a petite French Woman.

Francis gave him a toothy grin as he leaned down to kiss his significant other. The two were a beautiful pair.

The young woman was nearly his opposite, like Gilbert and Matthew, in both fashion tastes and cooking abilities. The only reason she was even wearing anything besides her usually jeans was that Francis had 'buttered her up'.

Matthew shivered as he pondered the implications.

As he chuckled at his brother's possessive show of affection his nerves eased a bit. Francis had waited a long time to meet her and he wasn't giving her up anytime soon.

Returning to his search, he began walking to the other side of the room.

His walk was interrupted by someone grabbing him around the waist.

He gasped jolting a bit.

"Got you," a happy voice laughed.

"Yes you did, now let go," Matthew laughed back squirming.

He could have easily broken free of his lover's grasp, but instead returned the embrace.

"What's up?," Matthew sighed releasing Gilbert.

"Oh, nothing," Gilbert said in a singsong voice.

"Gilbert?" Matthew questioned in the manner he had learned from Joan.

"Okay I give up. I was looking at the decorations and was wondering if I could propose a change?"

Matthew's raised eyebrow prompted him to continue.

 

"Maybe we could add some bright red and purple orchids to the white flower design."

Matthew tilted his head. "What brought that idea up?"

"I saw that Alfred and Arthur had green and blue gem decoration things on the tables and I decided it would be kinda copying to do the crystal things. I really like how they look like their eye color, though."

"It sounds nice."

Gilbert beamed at his fiancé's approval.

"You have to get it passed Francis though."

Gilbert's smile faltered and he looked terrified.

"You know he will turn me down," he whined, sounding dejected. "It would take the apocalipse to change his mind about anything."

"Let me tell you something, I will propose that idea to Francis and press for it, if and only if I get to carry you over the threshold."

Gilbert frowned. 

"Anything but that."

"That's my offer."

"Why does it have to be that?"

Matthew rolled his eyes. 

"Gilbert, there isn't much of a difference between you a me physically, at least now that you join me sometimes working out, but I'm the athlete, there's a better chance that I won't drop you."

"But...I...uh...I'm"

"Face it. There's no good argument for this. I really don't want dropped."

Gilbert sighed.

"Fine, only if you can convince Francis to change the wedding decorations away from boring and white."

"As you wish," Matthew sighed with a smile, "After the reception though, arguing with him over our wedding plans will be almost harder for him than letting Arthur's family plan this wedding "

"Just get Joan on your side, you know Francis can't resist her charm."

"All right," Matthew huffed pulling Gilbert towards the dance floor.

Once there, a slow song started.

Pulling him close, Gilbert leaned in and whispered gently in his lover's ear.

"Ich liebe dich, Matthew".

Matthew sighed happily and leaned into the embrace and returned the whisper.

"Je t'aime, Gilbert.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well that was nice. I'm sure the two of you who bookmarked it are happy that I was just copy, edit, and pasting.  
> If you liked this, I have several other fics I will be transferring over the summer.   
> If you have a favorite ship, ask me about it. I might have a fic written for it already.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm starting transferring my hetalia soulmate works over to here from Wattpad and I thought I should do this one first.  
> Fyi I first wrote this when I was 14. Editing ain't gonna perfect it, but a lot of people seemed to enjoy it.


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